Longest Range electric vehicle: Tesla Model S
One of the biggest reasons car buyers shudder at the thought of owning an electric vehicle is range anxiety. Today the average fully electric car can only drive around 80 miles on a full charge, but Tesla has proven it can do much better. With a driving range in the mid-200 mile range, the Tesla Model S sedan is an electric car that you can live with. Tesla’s Supercharger network also makes range anxiety a thing of the past. And of course, this car is gorgeous, spacious and practical. What’s not to love? (Maybe the price tag..)
Type: Sedan Range: 270 miles battery-only Price: $85,000 MPGe: 95 city / 106 highway
Best affordable electric car: Chevy Spark
When the tiny Chevy Spark EV hit the market in 2013, it joined a small but growing number of cute little all-electric vehicles like the Fiat 500e and the Nissan Leaf. The Spark EV shined with its immense amount of torque and it was also the first EV on the market with DC Fast Charging capability. Although there was nothing wrong with the Spark EV, it wasn’t until Chevy dropped the price on the 2015 model that buyers started to take notice. The 2015 Spark EV’s price was dropped by $1,650 to a low $25,995, but the best part is that Chevy is now offering an amazing low lease rate at $139 a month with zero down. And if you choose to buy it, the price drops as low as $14,995 thanks to available tax incentives. There is one other small EV that comes in cheaper than the Spark EV, the Mitsubishi iMiEV, but its shorter driving range, low quality materials and golf kart-like styling make it less appealing.
Type: Compact city car Range: 82 miles battery-only Price: $25,170 MPGe: 128 city / 109 highway
Best-selling EV: Nissan Leaf
It’s hard to believe the Nissan Leaf has been on the market for nearly five years. But in that time, the Nissan Leaf has managed to nab the title of the world’s best-selling electric car. In 2014 alone, Nissan sold a record breaking 30,000 Leafs, which is almost half the total number the company has sold since the Leaf went on sale in late 2010. The release of an all-new Nissan Leaf is just around the corner, and it’s expected to have a much longer driving range that is bound to hold the Leaf in the number one spot.
Type: Sedan Range: 84 miles battery-only Price: $29,010 MPGe: 126 city / 101 highway
Most innovative electric car: BMW i3
The BMW i3 arrived on the market in 2014 as one of two electric vehicles that are part of BMW’s i-sub brand. The small i3 has received countless awards for its lightweight carbon fiber construction, stylish and sustainable interior materials and its range-extender engine that helps ease the dreaded range anxiety that plagues most other EVs. The innovative technologies that BMW introduced on the i3 and the i8 are slowly making their way into the rest of the BMW lineup with the impending arrival of a new range of plug-in hybrids.
Type: Crossover Range: 81 miles battery-only, 150 miles with range extender Price: $43,350 MPGe: 127 city / 107 highway
Best plug-in hybrid: Chevy Volt
Back in 2007, General Motors gave the world a preview of the future with the debut of its Chevy Volt concept car, which was the first plug-in hybrid car shown by a major automaker. Over three years later, the first Volt rolled off the line, marking the introduction of what is easily still the best plug-in hybrid on the market. With an electric driving range of 38 miles and a total driving range of 380 miles, the Volt made it easy for fans to live with an electric car. Most drivers don’t drive over 40 miles a day, which makes it easy to drive the Volt without ever filling up the gas tank, while the gasoline range-extending engine is always there for longer trips. An all-new 2016 Volt is being introduced later this year with a 50-mile EV driving range.
Type: Sedan Range: 38 miles battery-only, 380 miles extended range Price: $34,345 MPGe: 101 city / 93 highway
Best EV for city-driving: Fiat 500e
What if you want a small city car, but would love the idea of driving an electric car as well? In a tight urban environment like San Francisco, a Tesla Model S is far too big for crowded streets and tiny parking spots, but there are other options. The Fiat 500e takes the cute retro styling of the iconic 500, but adds a fully electric powertrain. On the outside it looks exactly like the gas-powered 500, but under the hood you’ll find a 111-hp electric motor and lithium-ion battery. Its size and power make it an ideal fit for commuters and urbanites.
Type: Compact city car Range: 87 miles battery-only Price: $32,780 MPGe: 122 city / 108 highway
Best commuter EV: Fiat 500e
The Fiat 500e also gets our pick for the best commuter EV due to its great MPGe rating and impressive 87 mile battery-only range. Its small size also means that you’ll never have to look too hard for a parking spot during your morning commute.
Type: Compact city car Range: 87 miles battery-only Price: $32,780 MPGe: 122 city / 108 highway
Best electric SUV: Tesla Model X
Later this year, a whole new segment of electrified SUVs will hit the market, but one of them definitely stands out: the Tesla Model X. Borrowing its electric drivetrain from the Model S sedan, the Model X will have a similar driving range in the mid-200 range, but its crossover body and ability to seat 7 passengers could make it more appealing than the Model S for drivers who needs more seats or space. Its rear “Falcon Doors” are also a nice, unique touch that give it style in addition to its superior comfort. Production of the Model X is expected to begin in a few months.
Type: Compact SUV Range: TBD Price: $70,000 MPGe: TBD
Best family car: Tesla Model X
The upcoming Tesla Model X is also our top pick for the best electric family car due to its roomy seven-seater interior. The EV’s futuristic falcon doors lift up to provide access to a third row of forward-facing seats, making it easy to load up the kids and hit the road.
Type: Compact SUV Range: TBD Price: $70,000 MPGe: TBD
Best electric van or utility car:
Today electric car buyers have lots of options for small hatchbacks, sedans and midsize SUVs – but one segment has remained largely untouched: the minivan segment. What if you would love to drive an electric vehicle, but you also need the 7-seat capacity that a minivan provides? Currently there aren’t any models on the market in the U.S. that can fulfill this need. Nissan launched the e-NV200 in the UK, but here in the U.S. you’re out of luck. Ford offers the Transit Connect electric vehicle, however it’s more suited for service as a utility vehicle than for carting kids. But don’t give up hope – we recently caught a sneak peek of a prototype of the next-generation Chrysler Town & Country plug-in hybrid minivan driving around the streets of Los Angeles. There’s also been a rumor going around that Toyota may soon offer a hybrid version of the Sienna minivan.
Type: MINIVAN Range: anything will do – 30 miles?
Best electric sports (or midlife crisis) car: BMW i8
The EV segment is mainly comprised of small, efficient, compact vehicles that are great at transporting people, but aren’t very exciting to drive. The good news is that there are a few options if you want an electrified sports car. You could try to find a used Tesla Roadster with the recent battery upgrade or you could choose something a bit more futuristic, like the BMW i8. With a 15-mile electric driving range, a 0-60 mph time of 4.2 seconds and its unique scissor doors, the i8 is the supercar of the EV segment. Just expect to charge it a lot.
Type: Sports coupe Range: 23 miles battery-only, 273 miles extended range Price: $137,450 MPGe: 76 combined
Best future EV: Chevy Bolt
Consumer fear of the electric vehicle’s limited driving range is going to change in the next few years as battery technology continues to improve. It’s rumored that the next Nissan Leaf will offer double the driving range, while the upcoming Tesla Model 3 is expected to have a driving range of 200-250 miles. While we’ve yet to see the next Leaf or the new Tesla, there is one new EV that we have seen. Earlier this year General Motors took the wraps off the Chevy Bolt concept. Its footprint is about the same as the Chevy Spark EV, but it has the capability to drive 200 miles between charges – more than double the Spark’s range. The Bolt will also have a price tag of around $30,000, and production is expected to kick off by the end of 2016.
Type: Compact city car Range: 200 miles battery-only Price: $37,500 expected MPGe: TBD